[Skunkworks] Set top box?

Good people, A friend of mine told me he bought a "DVB-T Set top thingy which i connect to a kawaida aerial, then to a kawaida tv using the red/green/white video cables" apparently, this device costs abt 6k in the supermarkets and converts the analogue signal to digital, plus it enables him to "receive" about 8 additional free to air channels, including HBO! Not wanting to sound like an idiot, i didnt confirm or deny his achievements. Someone please tell me, what is this thingy my friend is talking about and does it do everything he says it does?